Summer is here, the temperature is up, flip-flops are on and the sun is out.

It’s great to have a space to come home to from a long hard day at work or to relax in and enjoy the beautiful weather on weekends. But maybe you don’t have the room, perhaps that space has always been on your mind but you have never got round to doing something about it.

You may have always wanted a conservatory or an orangery but the thought of going through the hassle of getting planning permission and getting the extension off the ground has put you off. Well that’s something you don’t have to worry about.

Extension Extended

In 2013 the government relaxed the laws around extensions. These were due to end in May 2016 but the great news for people thinking about extending their home is this change has been extended for another 3 years. You now have until 30 May 2019 to complete extensions under these rules.

For types of work that don’t need planning permission, they are known as permitted developments. Conservatories, orangeries and single storey extensions fall into this category. So you don’t need to submit planning permission for them as long as they fall within the planning regulations.

That means you can extend up to 6 metres beyond the rear wall of your original property if it’s a semi-detached or terraced house and up to 8 metres if you live in a detached home. This is double the length of the previous law which only allowed people in semi-detached and terraced properties to extend as far as 3 metres without planning permission and just 4 metres for people living in detached homes. This gives you a fantastic opportunity to get the extra space you always wanted.

The Neighbour Consultation Scheme needs to be taken into consideration when you are extending. For everything you need to know about the Scheme, follow this link for a handy guide, Planning Portal.

A Step Closer

Now you know you don’t need to ask for planning permission, that conservatory or orangery you want is a step closer. It is the perfect place to wind down in, put your feet up and enjoy the summer weather. It also adds a little bit of extra charm to your home. Now you just need to decide what type of extra space you want.

On Trade Street in our Home Improvement Centre on London road in Derby, we have lots of different styles of conservatories which give your home something a little bit different and they are all fully built so you can see exactly what they really look like. We have styles ranging from Edwardian to Victorian, for a more traditional look. Or for modern glass extensions we have lots on offer. Take a walk down Trade Street to see what style would work best for you.

All Year Round

Thanks to advanced technologies, our conservatories can be used all year round. We use Pilkington Activ™ glass, which is designed to keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter, just what you want. It won’t be heating up like a greenhouse during the warmer months and it won’t feel like you are stepping into a freezer in the winter.
Or instead of a glass roof, look at our thermally efficient tiled roof system Equinox, to make sure our conservatories are the right temperature for any time of the year. So if you finally turn that dream conservatory into a reality, make sure to buy one that can be used throughout the year.

Whatever You Want

One of the great things about adding a conservatory or orangery to your home is that it can have many uses. If you just want to use it for relaxation then you can have your very own ‘man cave’ or ‘she cave’. If you have young children you can use the conservatory as a room for them to have their own space to play. Or maybe you just want to extend your living space to create open plan living, for a bit of extra comfort.